There are known in the prior art bill acceptors which receive and test for genuineness bills deposited in a merchandising machine or the like. If the bill fails the test for genuineness it is returned to the customer. If the bill is acceptable, it may be sent to an escrow station whereat it remains until a purchase is complete. When the purchase is complete the bill is sent to a stacking mechanism. If, on the other hand, the customer changes his mind before the purchase is complete, he may press the return button and the bill will be returned.
The devices of the type described hereinabove function satisfactorily for individual bills. However, with the increasing price of articles being sold in merchandising machines and inflation, the cost of articles has been such that more than a single bill may be required to aggregate at least the purchase price of an article. The bill acceptors and the like of the prior art are not adapted to handle more than a single bill.